Moving sign



A, LEWYT MOVING SIGN 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR TTORNEY mum Q 4 A. LEWYT LMOVING SIGN Filed Oct. 4, 1933 s She ets-Sheet 2 I i m v 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY A. LEWYT MOVING SIGN Filed 001;. 4,

1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M 0! (INVENTO ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrical display stand in which a series of display signs are adapted to be moved before the vision of an observer. 7

It is the object of my invention to devise an electrically operated display sign in which there will be two vertical stacks of signs located in juxtaposition, and operating mechanism adapted to move the front sign of one vertical stack in -a horizontal direction into the front rank of the second vertical stack. I prefer to use a continuous moving apparatus which will remove the front sign of thefirst'stack leaving the second sign exposed, and which will then operate to move the rear sign of the stack to which a sign has been added to the stack from which the front sign was taken for transfer to the second stack. Thus, there will be a continuous removal of a 7 front sign from one stack to the front position of a second stack, and replenishment of the signs in the first stack by a movement of the rear sign of the second stack to the rear of the first stack.

This movement will be accompanied by a shifting of the signs of each stack from the rear to the -front position on one stack, and from a'front position to the rear of the second stack. Another object of the invention is to devise means for shifting the stacks to facilitate the transfer of the individual sign elementsfrom stack to stack. While I am aware that there has been considerable development in the art of moving signs; by the arrangement of my invention I am able to accomplish therequired. movement and display in a most simple and effective manner so that the combination of elements in my invention, I consider a most meritorious contribution to the art.

For a description of the invention, I shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial section along lines 33 of Fig. 2 showing the construction of an individual sign element of my invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical section and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a modified form of sign element used in connection with the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 12-17. Fig. 6 is a partial section along lines 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a partial section along lines of Fig. 2 showing the movement of a front sign of the left hand stack into the front position of the right hand stack, and illustrating the cam operation acting to move the sign members of the right hand stack rearwardly. Fig. 8 illustrates a further movement of the parts in the direction started in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows stacked relation to one another.

the movement of a rear sign of the right hand stack to the rear of the left hand stack. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the actuating or transfer dog which acts to move the signs. Fig. 11 shows the release of the dogby certain cam means. 5

Referring now more particularly to the draw- 15 I ings, reference numeral l0 denotes a frame member supported on pedestals l l and I2 and adapted to support two series of vertically stacked sign plates of the type denoted by reference numeral l3 in Fig. 3. Vertical standards I 4, l5 and I6 are 20 adapted to support an upper retaining plate I! maintained by screws H3 in operative position relatively to the vertical standard l5, and nuts IS in retaining relationship to the standards l4 and I6. 25

Supported on the frame lilare a pair of structural channels 20 and 2| which inturn support a retaining member 22 on which are adapted to rest the series of stacked sign members l3. As is best illustrated in Fig. 6, the plates I1 and 22 are 30' adapted to maintain the sign plates firmly in While Fig. 6 illustrates the left hand stack of sign members of Fig. 2, and shows a fullnumber'of sign elements l3 maintained in stacked assembled relation, it 35' will be understood, for reasons indicated later, i that the right hand stack of Fig. 2 will have one less member than illustrated in Fig. 6 in the initial assembly of the apparatus.

The sign members are preferably inserted end- 40 wise from.- the left as viewed in Fig. 2, admission of the members into the stack being permitted by movement of a dog 23 to: an upward position in the direction indicated by the dotted line position of Fig. 6. When it is pushed into its down- 45 tension in the belt 26. Whereas I have shown a 55 Figs. 14 and 15 are sectional views 10 belt, it should be understood that any similar continuous actuating member may be used to accomplish the purposes of my invention.

Secured to the belt is a transfer element 29 which is spring pressed by spring 3!] in a counterclockwise direction and is adapted to occupy normally the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 10. In the position of Fig. 6, and in other positions, the belt 26 and dog 29 are guided by the structural iron members 20 and 2| and the outward structural members 3| and 32.

For better guiding the dog member 29 and controlling its movement relatively to the sign elements I3, I utilize a camming guide portion 33 having an entering curved mouth 34 best illustrated in Fig. 1, and an inclining releasing portion 35 on each side of the main frame M. For further controlling the transfer dog 29, there is secured to the frame opposite the part 35 of guide 33, a releasing lug member 36 located on each side of the frame for the purpose which will be indicated shortly.

Each of the sign elements used in my invention comprises plates 31 and 38 secured at one end by a U element 40 which may be welded to each of the plates 31 and 38. At its other end, one of the plates 31 is formed into a camming portion 4| to serve a purpose to be indicated shortly. The camming portion is cut away partially at 43 for cooperation with the element 29 as will be indicated later. An opening space 42 at the same end allows for the admission. of the sign to be carried by the frame. The full operation of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will now be described.

As Was indicated previously, in the initial assembly of the sign elements as shown in Fig. 6, a full number of sign elements [3 are placed in the left hand part of the sign assembly of Fig. 2. As best shown in Fig. '7, one less than the full amount is inserted in the right hand portion of the entire assembly viewed in Fig. 2. The dog 29 carried by the belt or other continuous conveyor element 26 is urged by the cam end 34 of the portion 33 into a cooperative relation relatively to the front sign element [3 of the left hand stack as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. This moves the sign from its front position in Fig. 2 toward the right to the position clearly illustrated in Fig. '7 wherein the cam end 4| of the frame [3 will contact the rounded end of the front sign member of the right hand stack. The cam end 4| will tend to push the right hand stack rearwardly so as to make room in the right hand stack for the moving sign member of which it is a part. Further movement of the sign member to the right is illustratedin Fig. 8.

It will be understood that continuous movement of the dog 29 will bring it to the release point 35 of the cam member 33 at which point the dog 29 will abut the inside cam member 36 in a manner fully illustrated in Fig. 11. This will immediately throw the dog out of contact with the end of the sign frame member 13 and leave the sign in a position in front of the right hand stack. Once the dog passes the position of the cam element 36, it will merely spring back into sliding relationship to the front sign l3 until it passes the end of the frame I0 whereupon it is released and is allowed to spring back into its natural actuating position of Fig. 10.

Further movement of the dog 29 will then bring it against the cam end 34 of the rear guide element 33 shown best in Fig. l, whereupon it will strike the frame member I3 at its surface 43 below the cam portion 4|. It will then move the rear sign l3 of the right hand stack in a manner fully illustrated in Fig. 9, so as to bring the rounded end thereof against the cam portion 4! of the rearmost sign in the left hand stack and force the left hand stack in a forward direction to make room for the moving sign. As soon as the transfer dog 29 arrives at the rear cam section 36 and release point 35 of the guide 33, it is actuated in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 11, and releases the sign element as has already been described. It then comes around to the forward end of the assembly and once more engages the front sign: member of the left hand stack to repeat the previous operations. As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the standard I 5 is of such size that only one sign element may be moved between the standard and the plates I! to the front and rear of the sign, and which plates confine the stacks. In this way, should the sign being moved by the transfer dog tend to move with it the next rearward sign, that next rearward sign will be held back by the standard l5.

The modifications shown in Figs. 12 to 17 inclusive operate on a principle closely related to that of the modifications of Figs. 1 to 11, except that instead of relying on the camming edges 4| of the sign elements for moving the stack into a position to accommodate a movable sign element being added to the particular stack at the time, I utilize a positive pushing element 59 which is secured to the movable belt member 26 in substantially the same manner as the transfer dog element 29 is secured to that belt.

Fig. 17 illustrates the pushing element 59 held in inoperative position by cam member 52 when it is in the front portion of the runway and facing the particular stack it has just positioned by pressure on its rearward side. This particular position will be occupied by the pushing member 59 when it is in front of the left hand stack looking at Fig. 13, since it will'then have just operated along the rear of the particular stack to move the stack forward to allow for movement of a frame element l3 to that stack from the rear of the right hand stack.

When the member 50 reaches a position on the right hand portion of the runway and just be yond the cam member 36 it will be pushed forward into the position of'Fig. l5 and will be maintained in that position by the element 5| so as to push the signs in the right hand stack rearwardly into position to accommodate a moving element I3 then being added to the stack by the transfer element 29. The transfer element 29 operates in its normal way explained relatively to the modiflcations of Figs. 1 and 2. It will be cammed into its transfer position by the cam element 34 of its guide 33 as shown in Fig. 14 and will be released from the particular position by the element 35 after which it will simply ride along the edge of one of the sign elements until it reaches the end of the sign assembly, whereupon it is released and then entered into operative transfer position by the cam element 34 of the rear guide 33, as has clearly been explained.

While I have shown two preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be understood that variations in the same will readily occur to'those skilled in the art and that I do not wish to be limited in my monopoly except as defined in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:-

1. In apparatus of the class described, a series of sign members, a continuous and moving actuating means for said sign members, a transfer element'for moving said sign members fixed to said means at one point, and a positioning element for positioning said sign members secured to said means at another point.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a continuous and moving actuating means, two stacks of individual devices, the individual devices of one stack being movable to the other stack by said actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means for moving said devices, and a positioning element fixed to said actuating means for positioning said stacked devices for proper operation of said transfer element.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a continuous and moving actuating means, two stacks of individual devices the individual devices of one stack being movable to the other stack by said actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means for moving said devices, and a positioning element fixed to said actuating means for positioning said stacked devices for proper operation of said transfer element, and a guide means for said transfer and positioning elements adapted to control the operation of the same.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a continuous and moving actuating means, two stacks of individual devices, the individual devices of one stack being movable to the other stack by said actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means for moving said devices, and a positioning element fixed to said actuating means for positioning said stacked devices for proper operation of said transfer element, and cam means for said transfer and positioning elements adapted to control the operation of the same.

5. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of a front sign from one stack to the front of the other stack to expose the second sign in said first stack, a continuous and moving actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means for moving said front sign, and a positioning element secured to said actuating means for positioning the stacked sign elements of said other stack in preparation and for the facilitation of the operation of said transfer element.

6. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of a front sign from one stack to the front of the other stack to expose the second sign in said first stack, a continuous and moving actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means for moving said front sign, a positioning element secured to said actuating means for positioning said stacked sign elements in preparation and for the facilitation of the operation of said transfer element, and guide means for said transfer and positioning elements adapted to control the operation of the same.

7. In apparatus of the class described, two Vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of a front sign of one stack to the other stack to expose the second sign on said first stack, and then permit the last sign of the second stack to be transferred to the rear position of the first stack, a continuous and moving actuating means, a single transfer element fixed to said means and operable to transfer said signs from stack to stack, guide means for said transfer element adapted to control the operation thereof, cam means on said sign elements adapted to move the sign elements of a stack to which a sign element is being added to make room for said sign element, and means located between said stacks to prevent movement of more than one sign element by said transfer element.-

8. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of a front sign of one stack to the other stack to ex pose the second sign on said first stack, and then permit the last sign of the second stack to be transferred to the rear position of the first stack, a continuous and moving actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means and operable to transfer said signs from stack to stack, and a positioning element secured to said actuating means for positioning said stacked sign elements in preparation and for the facilitation of the operation of said transfer element.

9. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of a front sign of one stack to the other stack to expose the second sign on said first stack, and then permit the last sign of the second stack to be transferred to the rear position of the first stack, a continuous and moving actuating means, a transfer element fixed to said means and operable to transfer said signs from stack to stack, a positioning element secured to said actuating means for positioning said stacked sign elements in preparation and for the facilitation of the operation of said transfer element, and guide means for said transfer and positioning elements adapted to control the operation of same.

10. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, housing means for said signs, said stacks and housing means being arranged to permit the movement of a front sign from one stack to the front of the other stack to expose the second sign of said first stack, and to permit the last sign of the second stack to be transferred to the rear position of said first stack, a continuous member movable peripherally about said signs, transfer means secured to said member and adapted during each of its circuits about said signs to move the front sign of one stack to the front of the second stack and the rear sign of the second stack to the rear of the first stack, and a camming edge on at least one of the signs contacting during transfer, operable to push said second stack to make room for the front sign, and to push the first stack to make room for the rear sign.

11. In apparatus of the class described, two relatively loose vertical stacks of individual sign elements, fixed retaining plates at the front and rear of said stacks, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of the front sign of one stack to the front of the other stack, and then to permit movement of the last sign of the second stack to the rear position of the first stack, a cam'portion on at least one edge of each of said sign elements, means for moving the front sign of the first stack to the front of the second stack, said cam portion on at least one of the signs acting during this movement to force the signs of the second stack rearwardly, means whereby said moving means is then rendered ineffective for a predetermined period, means whereby said moving means then move the rearmost sign of the second stack to the rear of the first stack, said cam portion on at least one of the signs being then effective during this movement to force the entire first stack forwardly to make room for said added sign, and means between said stacks adapted to prevent movement of more than one sign from one stack to the other.

12. In apparatus of the class described, two vertical stacks of individual sign elements, said stacks being arranged to permit movement of the front sign of one stack to the front of the other stack, and then to permit movement of the last sign of the second stack to the rear position of the first stack, a cam portion on at least one edge of each of said sign elements, a continuously moving single means adapted to move the front sign of the first stack to the front of the second stack, said cam portion on at least one of the signs acting during this movement to force the signs of the second stack rearwardly, means whereby said moving means is then rendered ineffective for a predetermined period, means whereby said moving means then move the rearmost sign of the second stack to the rear of the first stack, said cam portion on at least one of the signs being then effective during this movement to force the entire first stack forwardly to make room for said added sign, and a single means between the stacks adapted to prevent movement 10 

